NeoPhotonics touts 100G CFP2 transceivers for 10x10G and 100GBASE-LR4

March 21, 2013
NeoPhotonics Corp. (NYSE: NPTN) has introduced a pair of 100G CFP2 optical transceivers. One conforms to the 10x10 MSA, while the other targets 4x25-Gbps 100GBASE-LR4 applications.

NeoPhotonics Corp. (NYSE: NPTN) has introduced a pair of 100G CFP2 optical transceivers. One conforms to the 10x10 MSA, while the other targets 4x25-Gbps 100GBASE-LR4 applications.

The 10x10G CFP2 transceiver is based on 10 synchronous electrical lanes and will support both 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100GbE) and OTU4 optical transmission. It is based on NeoPhotonics’ photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology, which in this case enables a 10-channel laser array powered by a 10-channel driver array.

The 10x10 CFP2 is backward compatible with the company’s 10x10G CFP platform currently being commercially deployed. Sources at the NeoPhotonics booth expressed the belief that they remain the only company producing optical transceivers that conform to the 10x10 MSA in either form factor. That said, the company also intends for the CFP2 electrical interface to support both 4x25G LR4 and 10x10G LR10 on the same line card.

Speaking of 4x25G, the company’s CFP2 LR4 transceiver is based on four synchronous electrical lanes of 28-Gbps each and complies with the IEEE 100GBASE-LR4 and ITU-T OTU-4 specifications. The four-channel PIC-based integrated transmitter is based on EMLs.

“We are excited to announce the development of our PIC based 10x10 and LR4 CFP2 optical transceiver line, which we believe will provide our customers with the flexibility to meet many different network demands,” said Tim Jenks, Chairman and CEO of NeoPhotonics. “The CFP2 platform is enabled by the company’s ability to integrate lasers in arrays utilizing proprietary PIC technology which we believe will continue to enable smaller transceiver form factors and lower power consumption for datacenter and metro Ethernet applications.”

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